Anti-Anxiety Drugs and Their Effects: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Applications, Safety Concerns and Emerging Perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59436/ijpsr.v2i3.5.3139-342XKeywords:
Anxiety; Anti-anxiety drugs; Anxiolytics; Benzodiazepines; SSRIs; SNRIs; GABA; Buspirone; Neurotransmitters; Drug dependenceAbstract
Everyday life can be hindered by anxiety disorders, which are serious mental health problems that cause a person to be constantly fearful, anxious, excessively worried, tense, and emotionally unstable, among other symptoms. Anxiolytics are the medications used in treating anxiety that affect the pathways of the CNS responsible for anxiety response. Benzodiazepines, SSRIs, SNRIs, azapirones like buspirone, and beta-blockers are among the various anxiolytic compounds. Benzodiazepines work by increasing the GABA-mediated inhibitory neurotransmission, which helps relieve anxiety quickly. SSRIs and SNRIs are usually used in the long-term controlling anxiety complications. Buspirone is known to affect the serotonin levels, while the beta-blockers reduce some physical symptoms of anxiety. Despite having a lot of benefits in the treatment of anxiety, anxiolytics can be associated with some adverse effects, such as sedation, dizziness, learning difficulties, nausea, and sleep problems. The consequences of these adverse effects should be considered critically after anxiolytic consumption, as sedation, impaired motor activity, and learning difficulties can change the behavior of the patient. When prescribing anxiolytics, it is important to find a proper balance between the effectiveness of the selected drug and potential harm of taking the drug
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